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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28327419">How Things Should Be</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SubtextEquals/pseuds/SubtextEquals'>SubtextEquals</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:47:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>929</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28327419</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SubtextEquals/pseuds/SubtextEquals</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Fíli confronts Kíli about his feelings for Tauriel and they talk about how different their lives are from what they thought they would (or should) be.</p><p>Featuring some meta references to "that's not how things are in the books" in response to a prompt.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fíli &amp; Kíli (Tolkien)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>How Things Should Be</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Balin, who well remembered Erebor, showed Fíli and Kíli to their rooms.</p><p>"This was where the princes of Erebor stayed. Thorin and his brother Frerin were here last." Balin's eyes grew distant for a moment before focusing on them again. Kíli wondered just how much of his uncles he saw in Fíli and him.</p><p>"Won't Thorin want his room?" Fíli asked.</p><p>"He will stay in the king's room, as he should." Balin nodded. "Well, boys," he said as if he weren't speaking to princes. "I'll let you get settled in."</p><p>"Thank you, Balin," Fíli said.</p><p>Kíli looked at the golden doors not far from each other. "Can you imagine Thorin lived here?"</p><p>"How many times did we hear him talk about it?" Fíli answered. He opened the door that was once their uncle's room. Inside they found the luxurious bed rand a mirror framed by gold. There were richly carved chests. A tapestry that once hung on the wall had fallen, its image faded to time.</p><p>"He didn't do it justice," Kíli said. He moved to touch a sword resting not far from the bed. Then he stopped himself. Thorin should be the one to take it. "I wonder what Ferin left behind."</p><p>Neither of them had met their other uncle. He'd died in the Battle of Azanulbizar. </p><p>He turned to go, curiosity overwhelming him.</p><p>"Kíli," his brother said. "We should talk first."</p><p>Kíli looked back at his brother. "About what?" he asked although that was stupid. There was a lot to talk about.</p><p>"The elf. Her name is Tauriel?" By the stern tone in his voice, Kíli knew this wasn't going to go well.</p><p>He folded his arms over his chest. "It is. What is it you want to ask me, Fíli?"</p><p>"What is going on between you? I am your brother, so don't try lying to me."</p><p>Kíli bristled. "I wouldn't lie." But he had no idea how he should explain this to Fíli or if he could ever understand. "I care about her."</p><p>"She imprisoned us." Though he did not say it, the other words he wanted to speak were clear: she's an elf.</p><p>"Yes, and she spent hours talking to me." Kíli saw his brother shift uncomfortably and he knew that Fíli had noticed that. So he continued. "She saved my life."</p><p>"I know," Fíli said quickly. "And I'm grateful to her, but-- Kíli, you know you can't be with her."</p><p>Kíli clenched his jaw. He glanced at the floor, took a breath, and tried not to think about how for a moment, he thought Tauriel would come with him. "I don't care what people think."</p><p>"When have you ever?" Fíli smirked and Kíli just knew he was recalling all the times that Kíli had complained to him about other people's opinions. "I know I can't stop you, Kíli. I'm not going to try. But I hope you will think about this. A dwarf and an elf, it's not meant to be."</p><p>"I know," Kíli said. "I know that's what they say. And I know that we weren't meant to meet. But we did."</p><p>Fíli sighed and shook his head. "You couldn't just fall in love with a dwarf?</p><p>"You know none of them liked me. Have you seen my face?" Kíli tried not to wince at his previous experiences back at home-- at his previous home. "They all wanted you."</p><p>"You're not bad," Fíli said.</p><p>"You know what they said. Kíli the beardless."</p><p>Fíli winced. "You have one. It's just--"</p><p>"Fíli, please." This was almost worse than him just agreeing. "Don't make it worse."</p><p>"You just take after our mother," Fíli said, promptly ignoring Kíli.</p><p>Kíli did not say that their mother had more of a beard than he did. She also had a longer nose too. He said something else, in a far more sulky tone than he liked. "I always thought that somehow I'd have a blond beard like yours. And I'd braid it so it was forked."</p><p>"It might grow one day," Fíli said because he hadn't grabbed a big enough shovel before.</p><p>"Fíli," Kíli snapped. "It's fine. We don't have to talk about it anymore." Especially since Thorin's old sword was right there. It wouldn't be good to come all this way to Erebor only to kill his brother once they finally got there.</p><p>"Right, that's not the point I was trying to make." Fíli cleared his throat. "You could find someone still. You are a prince."</p><p>"I don't want someone who's only after my title. I only want..." Tauriel.</p><p>Fíli walked toward his brother and laid his hand on his shoulder. "I know none of this is the way we thought it would be. Actually, I don't think any of this happened the way it should have." He frowned and paused as though considering a life they should have lived.</p><p>Kíli could almost see it. It wasn't just himself as he had always pictured, someone who looked more like Fíli did now, but their return to Erebor should have been different as well. He should have been beside his uncle. He supposed that in this world, the supposedly perfect one, he would never have met Tauriel. Dwarves should not fall in love with elves. It was too soon for that bitter feud to end.</p><p>"Maybe not," he said. "But I wouldn't change any of it."</p><p>"I think I understand," Fíli said after a moment. "Whatever happens, you know I'll be with you."</p><p>"I know." Kíli hugged his brother. "I'll always be there for you too. That will never change."</p>
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